Dominum Mortem
by mindgameplay
Summary: Harry's life didn't go as he wanted but he was alive. And then he died. Again. But this time he learned what it really means to be the Master of Death.warnings:Adult language, some light bashing, slash.
1. Prolouge

**Summary:** Harry's life didn't go as he wanted, but he was alive. And then he died. Again. But this time he learned what it really means to be the Master of Death.

**Pairings:** Not yet decided.

**Disclaimer:** This is fanfiction. The actual fiction of Harry Potter is J. Ro.'s work. I'm merely a fan paying a tribute. So in other words, don't sue me. On another note, the plot will have some similarities with other writers, since I was a reader long before I started to write, but I didn't cheat. If you can name whose idea it was, I'll give due credit here.

**Warnings:** Adult language, some bashing, slash.

**Updated:** 19/06/13

**Edited:** 27/09/13

_"Something has changed within me_  
_something is not the same_  
_I'm through with playing by the rules_  
_of someone else's game"_

_-Defying Gravity from Wicked._

**Prologue:**

"Wha-? Where am I? What happened? What time is it?"

When Harry woke up on the early morning of May 3rd, 1998, finding himself back in his bed in the empty Gryffindor dormitory, he was rightly a bit disoriented when his eyes landed on his familiar scarlet bed curtains after months of waking up in a tent.

But soon memories of the previous day started to flood his conscious mind and what he felt was an acute relief –_down to deep in his bones -_ that made his body lethargic, since he had no more goals to pursue any time soon for the first time in a long, _long_, while. And despite his body craving more rest to recharge his depleted energy levels after months of being on the run with limited food and because of all the energy he had exerted the day before, his mind was excited. Because _he was_ _free_.

For the first time in his eighteen years, he was free. To do whatever he liked, _whatever_ he wanted - no Dursleys to make him fit into their version of a normal family, no Dumbledore to mould him into a weapon against the Dark and sacrifice when needed, no Snape _and_(however painful it was to admit) no Marauders to make him be the 'James Potter reincarnate'. From this day onwards, he can become his own man. _I will be my own man_, he swore to himself. And with thoughts of that oath bright in his mind he called Kreacher to him without delay to ask for some clothes, as he left his bed. In the back of his mind he was busy with his bubbling excitement and already half-forming plans of what he wanted to do, while he took a shower and prepared to join the rest of the world for some breakfast in the Great Hall.

As life would have it, in the following week Harry's happy mood slowly crumbled away, one piece at a time, when the magnitude of the carnage at Hogwarts and in Wizarding Britain in general came to light. It reminded him that all was not well in the aftermath of the year-long rule of the Dark Lord. But Harry was determined that he would prevail, thus he dove in head first to give a hand in the rebuilding wherever it was needed.

Funerals of all the fallen heroes had proven themselves to be a tiring hurdle for Harry, where he had to face the remaining families of those who had died. Especially hard for him was to face George Weasley and little Teddy Lupin. But however sad he may be, he didn't lose his determination to be his own man and his optimism that things could only get better from here on had made him content even in the face of the mourning.

Many of the survivors were staying at Hogwarts the week following the final battle, either to support others or because their houses were in disarray, or they had nowhere else to go. But at the end of that week, slowly but surely, people began to leave. When the Weasleys moved back to the Burrow they wanted both Harry and Hermione to come with them. Hermione readily went with her boyfriend's family, because her parents had sold their house after they were charmed and she needed to get them back first. Harry refused though. All of them had asked him to come, repeatedly. But Harry resisted citing a need for privacy after all the gawking he had endured in the last week, as well as not wanting to be in the other's way, which was bound to happen with all of them at the Burrow.

So Harry went back to 12 Grimmauld Place with Kreacher, because indeed he was in need of some privacy. But more than that, he needed a place where he could break down without witnesses, seeing as he had come to a horrible realisation in that week that had shattered the rose coloured glasses he previously saw the world through.

In this last week Harry came to understand that no one, _almost_ no one (a _very_ small minority didn't care one way or other) in the wizarding world had any intention of letting him be his own man. They all had an idea, a plan of what Harry should be doing next and how he should do it, and they all expected him to be a good puppet and follow it without protest. They wanted him to be back at Hogwarts next fall to complete his N.E.W.T.s (and promote Hogwarts, so that the students would return). Then they wanted him to be a highly decorated Auror (and promote the new Ministry). They wanted him to marry a respectable Light witch - most preferably Ginevra - and settle down to have children, to become the ultimate role model (and it would also be his weakness should the Ministry need something to bargain with in the future, if he got to powerful for them to handle). It wasn't enough that he killed Voldemort; he was now bound to always be _the Saviour_ of the Wizarding Britain.

To them he was an idea, an ideal. _Not a boy_ whose life was always controlled, _not a man_ who wanted to be free now that he had done his duty. It was a thoroughly washed-out, exhausted and grief-stricken young man that went to sleep that night in his godfather's room surrounded by his memories.

The next time Harry went in public it was to attend the Weasley family dinner that Friday at the Burrow, five days after he had secluded himself in his godfather's childhood home. He was told that he was family and thus he _must_ come. Harry did so, but he was in what he would call his public persona from then onwards.

How was he loath to put a Weasley family dinner as a _public event_, but no matter how much that hurt it was nonetheless true. To the world at large he was their Saviour, who would join the Auror Corps next year and catch Dark wizards, so that the masses could sleep soundly at night. To those who saw him only as his parents' son - he would be a charming Head Boy like James and somewhat studious like Lily (Hermione declared that now, since there wasn't a madman after his head, Harry could study better and so he did). To the Weasley family he remained their seventh son, who would become officially a part of the family as soon as he married their daughter. He became whatever anyone wanted him to be - _or so they believed_. But underneath it all he was the ever consummate Slytherin, as the Sorting Hat had said he had the potential to be all those years ago. He learned masks - relearned the ones he had discarded when he left the Dursleys and naively thought he wouldn't need them again, because surely, those who were magical like him would accept him openly - and employed them to highest success.

Harry didn't need to go to all this trouble, he could have very easily left everything behind and disappeared into the muggle world. But that would have meant forsaking his magic - the only true companion he had. Harry could also have tried to fight the presumptions and assumptions, but that would have only lost him whatever fond acquaintances he still had left and put his name on Ministry's most wanted list (because Saviour or not, he _was_too powerful for them without a leash). It was like he was caught in the middle of an elaborate spider's web. Harry was almost certain that the spider in that case was Albus - too many bloody names -Dumbledore himself. Harry had been suspicious, at least for a while, that the man was leading him by the nose, but he had been blinded by the bright golden thread of the prophecy - to kill or be killed. Add to the fact that before he could decide on it either way, Dumbledore had died. What he now realised was that behind that golden thread were many hidden threads that Albus - the spider – wove, which he had never noticed and if he brought out his claws now to snap them, which he definitely could, it would only make him alone and hunted. By the Ministry, who wanted him in its grasp, so that he did not go Dark or Merlin forbid got powerful enough to overthrow them, hunted by those who still wanted him to be a fairytale hero and a miniature James Potter with some of Lily thrown in, and Godric forbid that he had his own opinions, and deserted by his friends who wouldn't take it lightly that he didn't want to be bound to them at the cost of his own freedom.

So Harry decided that he would endure, he would survive. He was first and foremost _a survivor_. He survived the Dursleys, he survived Voldemort - he could very well survive the rest of the freaking world.

So, years went by. He did become the Head Boy (it was given to him to appease him and the rest of the students who put him on the pedestal), he passed N.E.W.T.s with O's, E's and A's (one less than Hermione in total. He could have easily tied with her or even bested her with the amount of studies he had done that year - but that would have brought attention to him). He joined the Auror Corps, became the best one out there (no one could claim he got it through his fame only). He also memorized the laws, so that he wasn't caught breaking any.

Five years after the battle when the masses and the Weasleys started to become restless - he got married to Ginevra Weasley and later had three children with her - James Sirius, Albus Severus and Lily Luna (the names were Ginevra's idea and proposed in a public place, so he couldn't refuse). But he bound Ginevra (he always called her by the full name, because it irritated her) in an iron-clad marriage contract with a secrecy clause. So their marriage was one of convenience - he got a part of his mask, she got the money and prestige. Three years after their youngest, Lily, left for Hogwarts Ginevra Potter was caught kissing another man (Ginevra had been unfaithful for a long time, but Harry needed the children to be at least in their teens before acting on that information) and they got a clean divorce (another perk of the contract), and she moved to France with her boyfriend. Harry played the part of an understanding husband and lamented that maybe they got involved too young and their spark had died.

Harry had also taken on the mantle of Lord Potter-Black, but had never publicised that he claimed them and worked in shadows. Harry had decided to name his heir after his youngest hit fifteen - and he _was_ leaning towards his daughter, because she was the one whose upbringing he took the most direct role in after her birth. He had retired from the Corps when she was 4, because he had injured his legs on duty from a spell cast by the crooks they were apprehending. So she was the only one he had the most hand in shaping as a person. But 6 months before her birthday, tragedy struck.

Every year for the last quarter of the century, survivors of the Hogwarts battle and their families gathered on the hillside of Devon for a memorial - to gather and remember the fallen and celebrate their survival. It had become a tradition. In the late afternoon on 2nd may, 2023, the clearing they were gathered in was bombed by muggles - muggle military to be precise - on the orders of their magic-hating Prime Minister - and out of the 500 gathered at that time only 30 or so survived, but with grave injuries. Most of them died from those injuries in the days following. Muggles had declared war on the Magicals. The wizards answered in kind and soon bloodshed started everywhere. The collected families of Potter, Weasley, Lupin, Longbottom, Scamander, Malfoy and Zabini were in attendance at that hillside. Harry had avoided the celebration by dropping out early and leaving before it started to get crowded, citing his injured leg. When the dust had settled and Harry came back there were only 2 left from his whole extended family - his 14-year-old daughter and the 2-year-old Sirius Lupin - Teddy and Victoire Lupin's son. But both were grievously injured and died within 3 days at St. Mungo's. In one swoop Harry was left all alone.

In the last 25 years many things had changed with Harry, he slowly but surely, became a reclusive wizard who was curt but cordial to most he met. Adults he only talked to casually and to children he was that uncle who showered them with expensive and many gifts, but was not too familiar with any. Out of his very big extended family there were only two that he was close to - he genuinely liked spending time with them and they with him - and they died in his arms. Harry mourned the others - children more than the adults - but burying them was only sad, not terribly upsetting. But his little Lulu and Riri were another matter altogether. Harry became hell-bent on revenge.

When Harry became injured in the line of duty and the Healers had said that he would always have a limp, Harry took it as an opportunity to retire from the Ministry, saying that he didn't want to die on his children. People were sympathetic to his plight and supported his decision; and after a month or two they forgot all about the injured Auror. But Harry was persistent and with hard work and a copious amount of money spent, Harry slowly but surely, regained the use of his legs in the 30 months that followed. But he had never said anything to anyone about his recovery and kept it a secret. And in-between caring for his children, when his wife was out living her life, Harry became somewhat of a scholar, with the whole of the Potter and Black libraries open for his pursuit. As an Auror Harry had never been prejudiced against the Dark Arts, but had only ever used the legal spells that the Aurors had the authorisation to use. Alone in his warded room Harry had no restriction and soon became proficient as a Grey wizard that he always had regarded himself as.

In the month that followed the burial of Lily Luna Potter and Sirius Edward Lupin in the backyard of his house, Harry Potter rained hell on the muggles. More prominently, he massacred whatever base of their war against wizards he could find. He was on a mission to exterminate as many muggles as he could before he was killed - the only thing on him were the clothes on his back and the moleskin pouch Hagrid had given him all those years ago on his seventeenth birthday. In it were some things in memory of Lulu and Riri - pictures and their gifts to him and the _Deathly Hallows_- his Hallows. His cloak that he never passed on to his sons who were very much prone to pranks and trouble or his daughter who didn't need the cloak to cause trouble - less because he didn't want them to cause trouble and more because he had learnt that passing it on meant choosing his heir. The wand and the stone he had promised to leave alone, but after finding out about the web he was caught in during those early days after the war, he couldn't leave them where anyone had access to them (but he never _used_ them).

The massacre was covered up by the fact that many wizards were doing the same. No one had realised that just one man was responsible for the gruesome bloodshed he caused and the number of bodies he left behind. But as it would have happened sooner or later, one day his luck ran out and he got caught in an explosion, while he was blowing up a naval base, and as darkness claimed his consciousness Harry knew that he just died.

When he woke up he found himself in a meadow. The clearing on the hillside in Devon to be precise as it was before it became a mass burial site for his family. The last time when Harry was sure he had died, he had ended up in a replica of King's Cross station. For a long time afterwards he had wondered why his subconscious mind had chosen it and came to the conclusion that it was symbolic to the one event that had changed him for life.

Before Hogwarts his biggest wish had been to somehow survive the Dursleys until he was 16 and then gain emancipation and live his own life far, _far_, away from them. But crossing the platform 9 and ¾ had changed him fundamentally; it marked the beginning of his journey as a wizard, with changed dreams and ideals. So, when he was supposed to start his journey for afterlife the in-between had looked like the station, marking another beginning. And if Harry went by the same theory, he could certainly guess why he was in that clearing this time around.

After the war ended and the Ministry was rebuilt with the _supposedly_ Light side in power, any and every thing with a hint of Dark was persecuted - you either renounced being Dark and lived like a second class citizen - always under suspicion; or you died for being Dark. It was politics and stupidity at its best. The muggle government hadn't taken kindly to the death toll of the last war, but they were still wary. The Ministry had made laws to appease them; gave them more power and the muggle-born more leeway to avoid being seen as Dark. In the end, the muggles had elected a Prime Minister who hadn't taken kindly to the news of a hiding population with massive powers, and fights and bombs started around 2020. While some looked at Harry for guidance, to the majority of the population he was a hero long past the days of his glory and a cripple at that. They didn't want his help. And Harry didn't want to help, because to him they brought this on themselves and he had no sympathies for stupid masses. Had Lily and Sirius survived he would have simply taken them and gone into hiding, but their deaths were a catalyst and the destruction that followed was not for the sake of the Wizarding world, but to satisfy his own desire for vengeance. This clearing was symbolic to the change in himself from an indifferent bystander to someone on the road to muggle annihilation - and that was why he was here.

As Harry completed his thoughts he came to realise that someone was sitting in the shade of a tree to his right. Harry was curious about who came to see him this time. _Definitely not Dumbles, but maybe it's Voldie this time,_Harry's lips quirked at the humorous turn his thoughts had taken. So, he faced the tree fully to evaluate the creature (a man most probably) in front of him, who was wearing a black hooded cloak and looking directly at him. But Harry couldn't see anything more, since it was shrouded in shadow rippling around it like water. Harry contemplated if he should say something, seeing as this creature was most likely here to see him off to afterlife, but before he reached a verdict it spoke in a smooth dark voice.

"Hello, Master!"

Harry found himself having a strong suspicion as to the identity of the creature before him, but he still enquired to be sure, and it was confirmed when it drawled, "Death, of course. At your service."

In the years since the war Harry had trained hard and honed not only his magic, but also the use of his brains as well. So it took him only a few moments to process the information provided and realise that the title of Master of Death, _his title,_ was not merely a figurative one, as he had assumed.

"So what does that mean? For me? And you?" he asked. It seemed Death was pleased with his prompt response and gestured Harry to take a seat with him in the shade.

"It means, you are my Master and as such I can't take your life. I need you alive and killing others." Here Harry quirked an eyebrow at the pause and so Death added, "as long as it takes a next one to become Master of Death. But it usually takes a century or five for the next one to emerge. So for now you'll stay alive."

"Okay, but what will happen to me? Do I go back like last time? Because that would be a bad idea. The last time I was only AK'ed, this time my body was burned to bone for sure." It brought a grimace to his face when he thought what state his body would be in after the fire of the explosion.

"Of course not! Last time there was a special circumstance. You had already won the wand's allegiance, but you didn't have it, so you had to go back. And since you didn't have all three, I couldn't meet you. The people that _could_ meet you were Dumbledore, your father and Morfin Gaunt."

The previous owners Harry realised. "And Albus Dumbledore happened to be the one you met, because he was the last to die and the one you knew the most."

"And he manipulated the information even beyond his grave", Harry exhaled an angry sigh. "So, what happens now?"

"That is for you to decide. Death is all-encompassing and uniform across all the universes. You can go back to your own dimension at a point of time and create a new one from that point onwards. Or you could go to a completely new one without any similarities to your present one. Or you could go to one in between, where there are as many similarities as differences."

Harry put some thought into what Death had said, "But at what point will I go back?"

"I assume you want to go back to your present universe?"

Harry nodded.

"Then you can go back only as far as you had the ownership of at least one Hallow. Because in your own universe that is your point of origin as the Master of Death."

"My first Christmas?" Harry mused aloud, but immediately realised that it was not when he became the owner of the Hallow. He became its owner on the 31st October, 1981, after the death of its last owner, his father. With a grim nod he stood up and said, "Do it."

As his surroundings started a blur, the last thing he heard was Death's shout, "You can always call on me, if you need me, Master!"


	2. Chapter One

**Summary:** Harry's life didn't go as he wanted but he was alive. And then he died. Again. But this time he learned what it really means to be the Master of Death.

**Pairings:** Not yet decided.

**Disclaimer:** This is fanfiction. The actual fiction of Harry Potter is J. Ro.'s work. I'm merely the fan paying a tribute. So in other words, don't sue me. On other note, the plot will have some similarities with other writers as I was a reader long before I started to write, but I didn't cheat. If you can name whose idea it was, I'll give due credit here.

**Warnings:** Adult language, some light bashing, slash.

**Updated:** 24/06/13

**Edited:** 30/06/13

* * *

_"Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road_  
_Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go_  
_So make the best of this test, and don't ask why_  
_It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time_

_It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right,_  
_I hope you had the time of your life."_

-_Good Riddance( Time of Your Life) by Green Day._

* * *

**Chapter One:**

It felt like Harry took a Portkey through the floo network without a specific destination. When the spinning stopped he felt violently ill and nauseas, like he used to be all those years ago when he first learned to transport through them. So it took Harry quiet some time to get back a semblance of control through the nausea and steady stream of swears he directed at Death for this abrupt way of journey before he realized that he had land in his very first memory and only memory of his mother, her death- a nightmare he had lived through hundreds of times before and was just as unable to stop as he was now.

_**"**__Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!"_

**"**_Stand aside, you silly girl . . . stand aside, now."_

**"**_Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead –"_

"_This is my last warning –"_

"_Not Harry! Please . . . have mercy . . . have mercy. . . . Not Harry! Not Harry! Please – I'll do anything –"_

"_Stand aside. Stand aside, girl!" _

The green light of Avada Kedavra flashed around the room and between the screams from Voldemort and wails erupting from his own body, Harry lost consciousness again.

* * *

The next time he regained his consciousness, he found himself at the doorsteps of No. 4 Privet Drive. For a moment Harry contemplated running away before they found him. He was nearly certain he can live on his own and he would not have to live with _them. _It was a very tempting idea, but he considered the reality and found that he was still groggy (like someone put a sleeping charm on him-probably Dumbles), and his arms and legs felt heavy (like he used a lot of magic in short amount of time-probably the time jump), and most of all he did need the protection of the wards (that were based on his blood) he will have here for the time being. So Dursleys it is. But who says he would have to repeat the first time? So he started shifting ideas in his head how to change it as sleep claimed him again.

The weeks and months that he stayed at Dursleys after they found him followed a curious pattern. Harry was again put in the cupboard and he mostly slept through the nights and days except when Petunia fed him three times a day as opposed to Dudley's six- but Harry didn't mind. He was content that they left him well alone in his cupboard to plan and plot whenever he was not sleeping. Harry searched though his memories for anything that might suggest why he was mostly sleeping through the days, but to no avail.

It took Harry an accident to realize the reason. It was a Sunday and Dudley was being extra fussy that morning. When time came for Petunia to feed Harry, Vernon started muttering angrily about Harry and freaks and how they are wasting good money on ungrateful brats and everything in between. So when Petunia took Dudley upstairs, Harry knew Vernon will come thundering at his door to shout and vent at him some more. Like last time Vernon has already started venting at him for every and all things that dissatisfy him. Harry desperately wanted to avoid another shouting and to his surprise Vernon passed his door and went upstairs. It was then Harry realized that he had put a mild notice-me-not charm on his cupboard door, unconsciously so that the Dursley's don't bother him besides the daily tasks of feeding and taking care of him. Harry also found his Invisibility Cloak at the foot of his crib.

It was another two days before in between his sleep Harry to put together the whens and hows and whys. He came to the conclusion that after James Potter died the cloak automatically passed on to him. Last time he didn't know about it for a long time and bonded with it the hard way by using it throughout his teen years. But this time he knew about it consciously that after James Potter's death he is the owner of it and accepted his responsibility as the Heir of his family. Add to that he _is_ the Master of death, so when he was facing death the cloak came to its master to protect him. While it is a powerful object, it still is just an object and to protect Harry from harm it took magic from him. So the time jump followed by surviving AK along with the charm Harry put on his door is making him weak and taking a long time to recover. Figuring it out took the worry of his shoulder as Harry was starting to get worried about his constantly tired state. But now that he knew why, he is certain by the time his birthday will roll around in six months; he will be fit as a fiddle even if he maintains the charm on his door all this time.

* * *

With not having to worry anymore Harry's mind drifted towards the cloak and why it did what it did. He had learned many things in the later years about his Potter legacy in general and about the cloak in specific. When Harry became Lord of The Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter at the age of 21, he had the Potter manor with all of its books and Portraits at his disposal. But at that time he was busy masquerading as the savior-turned-auror and by his 24th birthday he was a married man and a father. The thirst he had for learning about his origins (as all orphans have) had quiet down by then as he was busy managing his present and future. He also never settled at Potter manor, rather he rebuilt a two storey cottage in Godric's Hollow and lived there with his family.

But after he retired, he had free time in abandon and he invested his time in pursuing the tomes and journals at Potter manor. From them and the portraits he learned many things. But some were more interesting than others. One of those is that the Invisibility Cloak is tied down with Potter Family Magics and passing it down means that the current owner, the Lord of the family choose his heir. It used to be a coming of age tradition. But Charlus Potter, his grandfather had James when he was in his late forties. So he gave James the cloak early, on his eleventh birthday as a precaution. He had planned to tell its full legacy to James on his seventeenth birthday(Charlus's portrait said so) but he and his wife died before that and as the war started in earnest James only visited them the day of his wedding to let his parents meet his bride. James had settled at the manor for some 10 months after his wedding with Lily, but he was quite busy and he never took the mantle of the Lord of the House. Then one day they left for Godric's Hollow and never came back- and so James never learned the truth and with his death the legacy ended. Harry was supposed to take mantle on his 15th birthday as the last Potter if he had been told and learned everything about Wizarding culture but he wasn't and it cost him the chance to talk to his parent's portraits as portraits need to be activated within 15 years after the death.

Another thing he learned was that Potters' were never a big family-their numbers danced within 1 to 12 from time to time. But whenever there was only one Potter left (that had happened half a dozen times over the centuries) he or she never died before having a progeny to pass of their legacy. Sometimes they had accidents or someone deliberately tried to off them but they survived. It was always a one off incident-never told or publicized, even when they later had family. And as there were hundreds of years between them they never realized it had happened before. Most of them also never knew the connection between their cloak and Ignotus Peverell. But Harry knew that and he had come to the conclusion that his survival on both October 31st, 1981 and May 2nd, 1998 was largely due to it. He was the last Potter and he couldn't die. Had Voldemort's attack not been so publicized no one would have known about the first time that he survived death, like his ancestors-_it was the power he knows not_-the Potter Legacy. And it was evident in all his death-defying adventures later on- _sheer dumb luck_, it was called. And by the time May 1998 he was already on his way to become the Master of Death. But it was all theoretical when he concluded. Though now after his meeting with Death and having summoned the cloak during the attack lends credibility to his theory.

Last time he was saved for the sake of Potter Family Legacy but this time around the cloak responded because he is the Master of Death and the Cloak recognized him as so. It seemingly took a lot more magic too this time around and that made Harry curious if he had become a Horcrux this time as well or if the magic of an activated Hallow was more powerful. It only took five minutes for Harry to call on Death and confirm that he wasn't. Death also said that the others Hallows will recognize him as Death's chosen as well and may very well not work against him. It could only be a good thing and may become helpful for him in future (due to their current owners)-Harry decided.

* * *

By the time spring rolled around Harry was a lot less tired but he still kept to himself and was always stealthy when he ventured outside his cupboard for bathroom and such. He was almost certain by his 2nd birthday he won't have any of his fatigue left. But that bore the question of how to live with _them_ for the next eight years. Harry wanted to have a peaceful life here-one that dosen't includes being there slave or punching bag. And he has absolutely no qualms using magic to make it happen. But being invisible isn't feasible for all eight years. Should he then resort to violence and intimidation? Harry could see that just remembering the last time is making him loose control of his magic. _Wait, what?_ It has been _years_ since Harry has blown up at anything. He still has his temper-make no mistake- but his subordinates and his children can attest to the fact that he dosen't blow up or lose control like a volcano anymore. Rather he becomes ice cold and may very well freeze you like hell when giving you a dressing down.

Harry took a deep breath and stared meditating to regain his control on his magic and found that his occlumency shields are almost nonexistent. He was almost dumbfounded that the shields he had painstakingly built over years with self-study and hard work has practically vanished. In almost near panic that without his shields to control he may very well blow up the whole house (which will be inconvenient) he set to rebuilt them. Halfway through the work he had settled down and was not in panicked frenzy that he realized that occlumency shields were part of his physical body not his soul and magic that has travelled with him. So the remains that were left were only imprints from his memory; not the actual shields. It took Harry a week to rebuild his shields to an acceptable level and organize his memories. It was a tiring process as one has to relive his memories when organizing them within their mindscape. What Harry found most curious was that the emotions that usually accompanied when reliving his experiences were missing. But Harry concluded, that like the occlumency shields, these experiences were not of this physical body and as such they are merely like imprints of those actual experiences-like memories that were taken from someone else's brain.

And amidst his 43 years of memories the Old Harry, he found the mind of the 18 month old whose body he was inhibiting. Founding it and intentionally absorbing it (not absorbing might have caused problems later on) was an amazing experience on many counts. It was not overly hard-simply dissolving the mind Magics with pressure of same but more experienced one (they _were the same_).Not only had it given him some more memories of his parents that have been lost from his own mind due to time, it also gave him a unique perspective, an amalgam of experienced and optimism, to see the whole world from.

Harry had been for so long only surviving-just to be contrary to both Dumbles and Voldie, who had wanted him dead or a pawn, to pass on his legacy through his children (that neither were able to do or want-both their lines died with them), to survive beyond the expectations and assumptions the Wizarding world made of him-that he simply lost the will to live fully and wholly. Even when Death gave him this opportunity, he only thought it as another thing to overcome and survive in the long list of things he already did. However now with his new view of world, he can appreciate the chance to do-over, in his own terms where he held all the cards and have the time to plan for it. It is a fresh chance.

* * *

One of the first things Harry decided that he needed to do was devising a plan of action as to how he wants to present himself here at Privet Drive-both to Dursleys and to the neighbors. And more importantly how he really wants to handle his re-introduction to the Wizarding world at eleven. Though the Dursleys should be easy to control through fear and violence, Harry didn't want to resort to it-without magic it will be difficult and even harder will be to getting away with it; but with magic however easy it maybe, it might later become his undoing (like one Tom Riddle; especially since Dumbles will definitely come to investigate once he realizes his pawn has become his own Queen). Mind Magics, however small or faint, leaves a trace in one's mind which will be easy to find for someone like Dumbles. And Harry dosen't like to warn his opponents before he takes them down; He had always thought later in his life that had Riddle been a bit more Slytherin in his approach and a bit less insane and irrational, Wizarding Britain would have been his without them even realizing. That Harry realized is what he wants to do-a Revolution from within.

But to appropriately catch the world unaware, he needs not to be seen as a threat. Moreover he needs to have the Dursleys on his side or at the least neutral towards him and the best way to do so is to emotionally manipulate them-something that no one can detect or will suspect a child like him to do. Now Dudley himself is only months older than him and while Harry can easily make him putty in his own hands growing up together with him, that dosen't help Harry with the other two. Likewise, Vernon is too much bull-headed to bother making him Harry's focus. That leaves Petunia. The Petunia Dursley née Evans who brought him up was a complex woman. Harry remembers very clearly the heart-to-heart he had with her after the funeral service of Vernon that Harry attended.

Growing up Harry always thought that once he got out of their house he will never look back. The events before his seventeenth birthday also suggested so. But after the war when Harry himself and his whole world were changing-at opposite directions at that- Harry become conscious of many hard truths of his life. One of them was that the Dursleys were never given any choice in whether they wanted him-he was left on their doorstep. Petunia didn't have even passing communication with his sister for years before her death and suddenly she had to take care of her son. They weren't nice. They were rude to him. They resented him and were hateful towards him. They worked him like a slave. But they did take him in, fed and clothed him, however abysmal it were. They could have abused him far worse; they could have left him on the streets or in an orphanage. So, yes, his life was hard and without them it could have been better. Then again _it could have been much, much worse_. In the end however he may hate Vernon and Petunia Dursley for being immature enough to hate a child for something he had no hand in, he was thankful towards them. And as she _was of his_ _own blood_ that _did_ protect him in spite of her hatred, Harry kept tabs on them over the years. As a result, when he learned of Vernon's death by cardiac arrest, he sent her flowers to wish his condolences and to inform that he will attend the service but they don't have to acknowledge him if they didn't want to. Harry fully expected thus.

But Petunia asked him to wait and come with her to her home (they have moved years ago) and point blank asked why he had come. Harry could see she genuinely wanted to know and so Harry said everything that he thought about them.

He concluded, "No matter how much hateful and miserable were you two towards me, _you were the only parental figures I had_ and that is why I wanted to show respect today."

Harry had thought it would be the end of his visit but Petunia surprised her by breaking down in front of him and words came tumbling out of her mouth. There he learned how Petunia has always wanted to be big sister, to have someone to nurture and protect how happy she was when Lily was born. But as they grew up everyone wanted Lily more than her, because Lily looked more beautiful than her, Lily was more intelligent and talented than her, more outgoing too. Other children, neighbors, teachers- everyone liked and praised Lily. But Lily and their parents loved her, so it was okay. But then came her Hogwarts letter and suddenly even their parents wanted Lily more as she undoubtedly was more special than Petunia and by then Lily was already leaving her behind in playgrounds to play with that Snape boy. So in her hurt, anger and jealousy, she lashed out, said hurt full words. But then her parents were disappointed and Lily was gone for most of the year and when she returned she was already out of her reach as were her parents who spent the whole summer spoiling their better daughter. So she nurtured the hurt and anger and started to hurt them back. Years passed and first Lily got married and left them behind for good and then their parents died. Petunia thought that part of her life is over and she locked her heart and started anew with her own family. But one day she found Harry on her doorstep and saw those green eyes that he had common with his mother and grandfather. And no matter how much she wanted to love him and protect him, she knew once he learned of magic, which is inevitable, he would leave her behind as well. So she never opened her heart. She wanted him out and away from her family. She let Vernon rant and rave at him because Vernon is the type who at least wants it to seem like he is in control. She let Dudley bully him so that at least his son will best Lily's. She knew it was wrong but never stopped because the ball was rolling long before he came on their doorstep.

* * *

That conversation had helped Harry understand his Aunt Petunia and for the next six years that she was alive they exchanged holiday cards and semi-regular letters between them. And with that in mind Harry determined, this time around he will make nice with her so that already hurt and jealous woman won't become guilt ridden as well for something that was always result of the circumstances. He is fairly sure that can persuade her as he can talk already (he practiced). And if sweet-talking fails, he can use his Passive Magic as well. Magic of above average powerful individuals saturate outside of their body and project their aura, like Professor McGonagall's strict but fair vive; or Snape's don't-cross-me if-you-know-what's-better vive; or Lucius Malfoy's I'm-powerful-and-your-superior vive. It subconsciously manipulates other people's concept of them to make others see them as they want to be seen but it is not deliberate. But those of immense power like Voldie and Dumbles can consciously manipulate their projections to their own end-to make them look harmless grandfather or charismatic young man as they want. Of course, Harry can too. In his last life he mostly projected himself as aloof and sincere, but he can be whatever he wants to be and others can't help but see him as such. Harry will wait for summer to come and when Vernon will take Dudley out for a walk and leave Petunia alone in house, Harry will approach her.

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**Read and Review pls!**

and thanks to all those who already did fav and follow to my story. it's a amazing feeling to be heard.


	3. Chapter Two

**Summary:** Harry's life didn't go as he wanted but he was alive. And then he died. Again. But this time he learned what it really means to be the Master of Death.

**Pairings:** Not yet decided.

**Disclaimer:** This is fanfiction. The actual fiction of Harry Potter is J. Ro.'s work. I'm merely the fan paying a tribute. So in other words, don't sue me. On other note, the plot will have some similarities with other writers as I was a reader long before I started to write, but I didn't cheat. If you can name whose idea it was, I'll give due credit here.

**Warnings:** Adult language, some light bashing, slash.

**Updated:** 04/07/13

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**A/n:**an extra large chappie for being late. enjoy! ;)

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_"The whole world's broke and it ain't worth fixing_  
_It's time to start all over, make a new beginning_  
_There's too much fighting, too little understanding_  
_It's time to stop and start all over_  
_Make a new beginning"****_

-New Beginning by Tracy Chapman.

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**Chapter Two:**

It was second week of July when Harry finally got his wish. That afternoon, Vernon took 2 year old Dudley to the local park, where he can play with the other kids and Vernon himself can mingle with their parents. Petunia was in the kitchen preparing for cooking dinner later when Harry came out of his cupboard and scuffled closer to the kitchen. He made sure to made aplenty noises as not to startle her and projected the aura of hesitance and shyness with underlying apprehension.

"Um...excuse me…your name is Petunia right?" Harry said in a barely audible voice. Harry knows that he cannot mimic the half-speech of a 2 year old so he decided he will make it seem that he is just an advanced child. With luck, Petunia will be busy focusing on other aspects of him and by the time she and others will notice they will think it as normal for him. Petunia had already turned towards him by the time he approached the kitchen as she had enough warning of his arrival. Upon listening to his question her eyebrows rose in surprise and Harry remembered this is the first time she heard him speak. At his expectant face Petunia cautiously nodded her consent. Harry took it as his cue and let questions tumble out of mouth like he was a nervous child shy to approach a stranger(she is at this point in his life) but he needed to know so he soldiered on(which he would have had this been his first time in this situation).

"Why am I here? Do you know my mommy and daddy? Did they send me here? Where are they? When are they coming to get me? They always come and get me when they leave me to someone else before going to work. Are they sick? Did the bad man hurt them? There were bright lights and booms and I don't remember anything after I saw the bad man's face. Why haven't they come to get me?" at this point Harry was _actually _having trouble breathing speaking so quickly because of lack of air in his small lungs and his voice started to get high pitched. But it did give credence to his fake distress and sure enough it brought Petunia to her knees in front of him and trying to console him. Her movements were stiff like she was in two minds to whether actually help him or not. But her natural maternal protective instincts won and Harry counted the arms around him as his first victory.

* * *

It took a few more minutes for Petunia to compose herself; after which she led Harry to the Kitchen counter and urged him to sit. She busied herself to arrange two glasses of drinks for both of them to talk over with. Harry rightly assumed( and confirmed through light legilimency) that she herself was going over in her head what stance should she take now-neutral, sympathetic ,honest and fair to child she shares her blood with; or over-protective, maternal and coddling to her little sister Lily's son who shares her eyes as she did with their Father. Outright hatred and neglect is something she felt she can't condone anymore rightfully.

Petunia sat beside Harry and put the glass of honeyed milk in front of him. It was something her mother used to give them when they were upset-Harry gleaned that from her surface thoughts-so he readily took a sip as it means at least unconsciously Petunia has already started labeling him as someone to protect. She herself was having a glass of orange juice and took a sip as well.

"You know your mommy was Lily" Petunia started talking looking straight in his eyes (that she was being straightforward is something which made Harry's respect for grew a bit more) and after he gave a nod, she continued, "I'm her older sister Petunia, your aunt." At this Harry sat a bit straighter. He wanted to know _exactly what and how much_ she will tell him. It also made it seem to Petunia that some of the tension left him as he realized he isn't in a total stranger's house. In a voice that is softer and warm than he had ever heard from Petunia, she continued with her story. "You said you remembered the bad man coming to your house" she ended the statement as a tilt of question and at Harry's hesitant nod, "He hurt your parents very bad that they had to go to….heaven (Harry could almost see her arguing in her head that wizards definitely don't go the good Lord's Heaven-but she still tried it to make it easier for him, which he appreciated) and as your family it was decided that you live with us." She decidedly ended her piece. Harry was tempted to ask exactly who decided but he thought it would be odd for a child of two to ask so.

Harry looked like he is going over what she said in her mind (actually he was deciding _exactly_ what to say next) and in a quavering voice (like he is just about to start tearing up) he asked, "Is heaven where Mother Magic lives? Mommy said grandpa and grandma were also hurt by a bad man and now they went to live with her. Are mommy and daddy going to live with grandpa and grandma and Mother Magic from now on?" Harry deliberately mentioned magic both to see her reaction and to establish right from the start that he already knew about it and won't buy her _magic-isn't-real_ rubbish this time around. He could clearly see the emotions that played on her face-sadness and sympathy at his predicament, surprise that someone already told him about death and he _clearly_ knew about magic and then relief that she didn't have to tell him about it. And so she agreed with him that, yes, they were with Mother Magic and of course, they are happy and definitely they were watching over him. Her relief was palpable when Harry mostly took the news with less drama and tear works.

* * *

So rest of the afternoon they spent knowing each other. Harry wanted to establish his advanced intelligence early on and a part of him relished being open to his aunt, voicing his queries that she answered (at at least that he hopes she will).

"Is Petunia also a flower?" It is an innocuous question but it points at his ability to grasp concepts above his age.

"Yes". Petunia while decidedly more warm and open that he had ever witnessed still had a strain in her voice which Harry had a inkling is because of her fragile and difficult relationship that she had with his mother before her death. So he resolved to make her memory of her sister as less painful as he could, the sooner the better. Because it will make his relationship with her more at ease if it wasn't tarnished with the same bitter brush like the last time.

"Are both of you flowers because you are sisters?" He tried to dig up happy memories and he knew from her letters that this was. But it still startled him when it brought a nostalgic smile to her face, "Our mother's name was Rose and so she named us after flowers too".

"How come I haven't seen you before?"

Harry wanted to see how this Petunia fares when facing hard and uncomfortable topics. And while he would like to question her some more about enjoyable things, he is on a mission here and he dosen't know how much alone time is left before other two returns.

He was content to see that with only a tight smile she replied, "Lily and I both were grown up with our own families, so we were busy". He could see she is trying to be as honest as possible with him without delving in the awkward and painful history. So he decided to chip in and help her.

His next question made her choke in surprise "Is it because you are not magical?" To which she replied hurriedly, "Yes, of course, that is why we live so far to each other".

Harry could see her getting flustered with all his 'innocent' questions. But before he could decide to let her go, for now that is, Petunia launched a counter attack of her own to distract her very curious nephew. Harry could actually see the similarities he shared with her as it is a move he himself had employed often. It made him wonder if he missed it last time because he was desperate to not become like them so dismissed the similarities he saw or if he never had the opportunity to actually see them for himself.

* * *

She asked the very common questions everyone asks when the meet new children. It was a way to distract him as well as for her to learn about her nephew, who will live with her. Harry could see her motives, and only because they were genuine and helps with his goal did he reply every one of them.

Harry replied some of those from his own memory and experiences, many others from the newly acquired memories from his merge with his younger self (which he had replayed many times in his head).

"So what is your name young man?"

"Hadrian James Amaranth Potter", with a giggle he replied in his best pretend grown-up childish voice as he has seen many including his own children do when asked the very same question. He had found his birth certificate in his family vaults after he had access to them but he never actually used them since the masses knew his as 'Harry James Potter'. Using Hadrian will make them think that he is trying to emulate his pureblood ancestry and no one ever knew or if known, never acknowledged his Mother had given him a second middle name. Harry himself had always known his name to be Harry James Potter because he didn't know better and later, outside of magically and legally binding documents he never used his full name either to avoid complications. But in this life, he has no such dilemma.

Petunia on the other hand was clearly surprised and visibly pleased that Lily continued the tradition of flowers name, but she continued, "And you parents'?"

"James Charlus Potter and Lily Iris Evans Potter".

"What did you liked about your mommy best?" This question Harry could see was her attempt to make him remember the best things of his parent as not to forget them. He was happy to reply from his newest memories, "The way she sings me lullaby at night and made me pancakes"

"And what about your daddy?"

"He takes me to fly on the broom with him when mommy's not around and makes all the voices when he tells me a story". And despite the blatant mention of magic, it brought a smile to her face too.

"Who else do you love other than them?" Here one could hear the blatant curiosity in Petunia's voice. She has started to warm up to the idea and wants to know more about the life Harry had, Lily had as well.

"Siri and Remy. Siri tells me funny stories with daddy and Remy reads me tales of long time ago from books from library when mommy's busy." No matter how refreshing Harry found her interest, he really can't much other than some silly anecdote about his parents and uncles without being suspicious.

So between cookies and second glass of drinks they learned about each other and family. Petunia learned that Lily had a picture from her childhood with Petunia and their parents on her dresser from which she made Harry learn names and faces of Gran, Gramps and aunty Tuney. Harry learned that his green eyes that he inherited from his mother also came from his Gramps, Henry Evans. And that is how they spent nearly three hours. So when Vernon came back from park, it could not be decided who was surprised more-Him to see them chatting together or Harry that he spent three hours straight munching snacks and chatting with his aunt Petunia.

* * *

But Petunia simply told Harry to remain in the chair and put her son in another and ordered them to share the rest of the cookies. Then she simply took her husband's hand and dragged him to the next room to talk. Harry could hear words here and there, like- 'poor boy', 'he misses them', 'can't leave that boy alone in the cupboard' and 'did you know he saw that wretched murderer'. Ten minutes later when they returned, Vernon mutely followed her lead in planning how to convert the room next to Dudley's to Harry's bedroom and what needs to be purchased early tomorrow morning along with other necessities for Harry. Petunia said that for tonight he will sleep on the couch in the living room and that is that. In one afternoon Harry changed the course of path that Dumbles had laid for him and in the end there was no use of magic or violence or bloodshed. Simple cunning and sweet behavior won him all.

Life at privet drive changed drastically from what Harry remembered of his own childhood. This time around when Dudley learned to talk, he learned to call him Harry, not freak. At playgrounds Dudley always picked Harry in his own team now instead of not letting him play as he used to. Dudley also on his own started to use his bigger built to intimidate others to not bully Harry instead of doing it himself. At home, they were more or less treated same. Dudley was more affectionate and still whines when he wants something, so his toy box remained overflowing but not the two room full as before as there wasn't a second room. Petunia's stern words to him were not of list of chores and punishments but rather maintaining light outs and curfews at night and not reading books under his blankets. His first visit to hospital was not to the ER when 'Harry Hunting' turned up bad one day when he was 6; rather it was before his 3rd birthday to get vaccinated and his yearly check-ups along with Dudley. As for Vernon, he didn't become quite warm like the other two but he never raised his voice towards him or bad-mouthed his parents either. He wasn't 'boy' anymore, who did all the chores and lived like a slave. Here he was Harry, who was their nephew-studios, friendly, a bit shy and the only demand they have of him is to sometimes put down his books and go out and play.

* * *

Out of everything, only one thing remained same here- Magic was never spoken of out loud at Privet Drive _but_ it wasn't a taboo either, it was simply understood it has no need to be mentioned before Harry turns eleven. Everything else-holidays, birthdays and vacations- all were different; more fun-filled than ever and even if in his mind he was a grown up, well, _no one was around to say that he can't enjoy his childhood_ this time around.

Harry was blissfully content in his simple mundane (Harry had started calling the muggles 'mundanes', because it will be less suspicious and antagonistic) life as the nephew of the Dursleys. He was happy to play and study with his cousin and help Petunia with her housework and gardening. He was so engrossed in living his childhood to its fullest, happy and normal that he almost forgot about his life outside of it, until suddenly he was reminded of it.

It was the year the boys started elementary school- they both had turned five that summer which they spent in an amusement park( Dudley's) and an museum (Harry's) and when September turned around they were excited to start school. While in this life Dudley followed Harry's lead and was somewhat interested in studies, to him school still meant more time to play. On the other hand, being friends with Dudley meant Harry got to play all the games which he _did_ love, but mundane games are a bit boring compared to broom racing, so to him school meant the whole library at his disposal to pursue.

While the actual experience was happy and fulfilling for both of them-they each got what they wanted, there was _one dark spot_, Pier Polkiss. Last time around Piers was Big D's second hand, his biggest enthusiast for 'Harry Hunting' and all the other misbehaviors. But this time, back when they were only three, Piers had called Harry four-eyes and Bookworm at the playground because he wanted to sit out the game to finish his story book. In response to it, Dudley had called him mean and simply refused to play as well. Many others who were there and was their friends had followed suit, which made Piers mad and he blamed the two cousins for his negative popularity. That day marked the start of enmity between those three. Now Harry mainly ignored Piers and his gang, because it was juvenile and actively encouraged Dudley to do so as well. But it is not always successful as Piers actively tries to bait them and sometimes Dudley's temper bursts out and he responds in kind and that makes for many fights at the playground.

* * *

Today, one week in the new school year, Piers has decided to take another shot during recess to reclaim his fame. Harry was reading a book under a tree after finishing his lunch and Dudley was sitting next to him playing with a football-flipping it in air- and telling him all about the moves he made in his last game. It was a common ritual between them. Suddenly, Piers took the ball from midair and started taunting them.

"Sissy boys who play with bookworms shouldn't play with footballs. So I think I will take this ball with me", he said smugly as he knew he got them.

The taunt wasn't a new one, even Dudley would have been able to ignore it, but that football was a birthday gift and Dudley's favorite. So inevitably, both of them stood up to get it back-by force if necessary. But Piers continued taunting even before they could make a move, "Is Dinky Duddykins going to fight me? Or will you run away to teachers complaining like cowards for you are a sissy boy?"

Now he never wins in a fair fight with them, between Dudley's bulk and Harry's agility, so he always tries to make them loose composure so he can win. Harry has much experience in this type of childish taunting so he hardly does but Dudley is another matter altogether. Calling him coward is a sure way to make him loose temper and Piers knows it. So as usual, Dudley flew in a blind rage towards Piers to pummel him and didn't notice the foot Piers put forward and tripped on it. It wouldn't have mattered normally as he would have gotten up to pummel him with twice the enthusiasm, but that day Dudley slipped and cut his forehead open on a piece of sharp pebble.

Harry had always been more prone towards anger when faced with bullying, especially towards those he cares about. But he was a kid here himself, so he cannot do much other than standing up to others and complaining to adults. Besides, he knew this schoolyard bullies are inevitable and can't be stopped without magic or adult supervision. So he generally never lets it bother him much. But the sight of blood on his cousin made Harry downright pissed. And the fact, that the Dudley lying on the playground in dust with blood in his forehead wasn't the Dudley who used to do this to him on daily basis. It wasn't even the older one with whom he had a fairly civil relationship. This was the Dudley who looked up to him as a brother, who protected him, who gave him a mug saying 'Best cousin ever', who wanted him to stay with him when he has a nightmare or when he was sick. This Dudley was family and before Harry even realized what happened he could feel his magic responding towards the anger and clearly saw Piers tripping himself on a pebble and falling face first in the muddy puddle when he tried to flee the scene like a rat with Dudley's football.

When the realization of what happened hit, Harry mechanically collected the ball from where it rolled after it left Piers's hand and took Dudley to the school nurse. She tended to the simple cut and both of them were sent back to home with Petunia. After Petunia was told of the incident, in detail and she swore to talk to the school, she told Dudley to take a nap after taking his medicines. But he was reluctant, so Harry promised to sit with him. And only after, sitting in Dudley's bed with Dudley cuddling to him in his sleep like he was a pillow, did harry let his mind free to churn.

* * *

It was the first time Harry had done accidental magic in this life- after his parent's death and after his merge. He had learned from his memories that he had once accioed his stuffed toy from another room and once changed his father's skin to blue but those really weren't his doing. And the use of magic right after the time jump while not intentional cannot be declared as accidental either. Besides he didn't use any magic after his second birthday, he didn't need to. Today's incident was the first and definitely unexpected. Because Harry definitely has more control on his magic than an average magical child to accidentally use magic when having a temper tantrum, or at least he should. But an hour of introspection made Harry realize that his iron-control of magic is only a thing of a memory now, not his reality. Somehow his magic is now as uncontrolled as any child and as such, like any other child his magic will and has reacted to his emotions and wishes. To stop it he needs to start practicing control. This can't be done before his seventh birthday to accommodate his new young body. But meditation and being calm should help to avoid incidents like todays.

However, today's incident itself had no signs of being magic-induced other Harry's own realization that his magic reacted, so he isn't sure what if any he needed to tell aunt Petunia to prepare her for future damage control. And that thought pulled Harry up short. He was an adult. He can make his own decisions. _Then why_ _would he need to tell Petunia anything at all?_ And when did he start telling her everything that needed fixed?

Those thoughts made him realize that the thing which had been important in maintaining his control of magic was his own mindset of a controlled adult. His own perception of an adult made controlling his magic as an adult easier even when he was only two years old. But Harry has been so much enjoying his new life that he has been subconsciously suppressing his adult memories. Living as a child is fun, giving all the responsibilities to Petunia makes him free not to be responsible for anything. But it also makes him just an average child with immense power but no control, who will have occasional bouts of accidental magic which have possibilities of doing much harm.

Harry is in a _unique position_ where despite being mere five years old he has access to his whole magical core. Children don't usually have the whole access till their 17th birthday. Their access to magic before they turn eleven is minimal and as such hardly harmful to others when they have bouts of accidental magic. It is only because this reason schooling starts at eleven and that ministry only starts monitoring magic at Muggle-born homes after they start Hogwarts. At eleven they start having more access to their own magic and any accidental magic after then could turn potentially fatal (like aunt Marge's balloon impression).It is generally understood that children learn total control by the time they have access to their whole magic finally at 17 and are so declared an adult. So, if Harry let's go of his control in favor of being average, the resulting accidental magic from the whole of his decidedly vast magic pool might very well bring catastrophe next time.

* * *

He will also be thrown amidst the wolves once he turns eleven. And Petunia won't be there to help, nor can she do anything to protect him from them. He will be on his own in mere six years and without any kind of preparation, he will be doomed to repeat his last life. It won't do him any good and so it is definitely in his best interest that Harry starts his planning as soon as possible.

But then again, not enjoying this life goes against the whole point of do-over. What he needs is balance. A balance between the child he is and adult he was. A balance between the sweet bookworm that he is now and the powerful Lord Potter-Black he will be. A middle ground between the Gryffindor warrior and the ambitious Slytherin planning to bring Revolution.

The revolution is his goal and he needs to strategize keeping it in focus. Now the best way to bring change is to have a solid power base with willing comrades. For that he needs to go to Hogwarts first. Another thing that's monumental in importance is not showing his cards till he has already won. Hogwarts is an important step in his plans, but Dumbles has power there and Harry can't go to an open war with Dumbles from the start (it will be inevitable in the end but he plans to postpone it as long as he can). So needs a charade, good enough to fool Dumbles into thinking him as no threat to Dumbles's power. If he goes to Slytherin it will be like putting up a big neon sign in his back for Dumbles to consider him a threat. But if he goes to Gryffindor, that might also make Dumbles look closer as that house moulds his very own soldiers under his careful gaze. So that leaves Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw- the nice shy kid or the bookworm. Those are his options. And that fortunately meshes with the persona he is already weaving here at Privet Drive. Because inconsistencies could be problematic. Those two houses will also give him opportunity to make friends with most of the others without any eyebrows rising.

* * *

Now Riddle had the good idea of portraying himself as the intelligent, beautiful, innocent, poor, orphan child. It earned him many brownie points. Harry plan's to utilize that idea. It is true that Tom Riddle is no one's idea of the best role model, but he did have his good points and there is no point in ignoring a good idea from a wrong person. Harry is already intelligent (he was even before the time-jump and now even more so), beautiful (he did get the best of both Potter and Evans genes and without the tender care of Dursley's he looks even better this time around) and of course he is an orphan. Being poor didn't help Riddle much other than the sympathies from teachers, it definitely made subduing the pureblood snobs harder. And Riddle wasn't ever good at portraying innocent. He had already slipped in front of Dumbledore even before going to Hogwarts. And innocent didn't help him at Slytherin where he was already a poor mudblood-so he had to abandon his masks more. And those slips made many cracks later on which were made into obstacles. Harry plans to avoid those. His portrayal of innocence will to be uniform to all denizens of Hogwarts and the Wizarding Britain. And here at Privet Drive too, in case anyone comes snooping.

Harry's problem with Dumbles is that he always was and is a power hungry politician. When he had said he didn't accept the post of Minister of Magic to avoid temptation because power corrupts him he was only partially true. It is true that power corrupts him but that was not the reason he rejected being the Minister. He rejected that to create an illusion of being modest and to use it for this very excuse later on. What he did was far more subtle and manipulative. Because being the Transfiguration professor, Head of Gryffindor House and later Headmaster of Hogwarts puts him in the position of authority to most of the masses in the last century. Add to that the popularity and gratefulness for defeating Dark Lord Grindelwald and the power from his positions in wizengamot and ICW- he is the single most powerful person in Britain and every one there _wants_ him in that position for his grandfatherly advices.

Later in his life, Harry under stood that Tom Marvolo Riddle was charismatic, ambitious young man and Heir to the Slytherin House. He had a bright future in politics. He was also a threat to Dumbles's power and reign over the Wizarding Britain. Riddle most certainly wanted to reform Wizarding world and put himself at the top. And that was the main reason of discontent between the two-POWER. And when he became a Dark Lord, Dumbles had planned to bring down another Dark Lord to solidify his power base but Fate and Destiny put a wringer on those plans of his. So he decided to be the mentor to the new hero instead, which will make Harry subservient to him and his suggestions. It will still leave him at the top of hierarchy and give him credit when his weapon wins.

And even when he was about to die Dumbles didn't deviate from his scripts of having Harry die at the end. He still left for afterlife as a martyr and was remembered in the pages of history books as such. Knowing what he knows about that man, Harry absolutely can't let Dumbles doubt anything about him because despite Harry's own fame and power of the House of Potter, Harry still is only a child and Dumbles holds all the power for now. He can crush Harry even before he starts.

Because of that getting himself out of that man's thumb is going to be his first priority. But he can't let the man get any more ammunition against him to use any info anyone in the muggle world has on him could be used as such. So Harry can't confide in Petunia, Not only for the sake of his secrets but for her and her family's protection as well. From here on, every step needs to be calculated.

* * *

**Read and review pls!**


	4. Chapter Three

**Summary:** Harry's life didn't go as he wanted but he was alive. And then he died. Again. But this time he learned what it really means to be the Master of Death.

**Pairings:** Not yet decided.

**Disclaimer:** This is fanfiction. The actual fiction of Harry Potter is J. Ro.'s work. I'm merely the fan paying a tribute. So in other words, don't sue me. On other note, the plot will have some similarities with other writers as I was a reader long before I started to write, but I didn't cheat. If you can name whose idea it was, I'll give due credit here.

**Warnings:** Adult language, some light bashing, slash.

**Updated:** 07/07/13

* * *

_"Drink another cup,You're growing up.  
Yeah Yeah you're growing up, yeah yeah you're growing up  
It's good to know you're growing up."_

_-Growing up by Roy Orbison._

* * *

**Chapter Three:**

In the summer of 1976, Petunia Evans graduated from High School. That was also the summer she met Vernon Dursley. That summer her sister had came back from her magic school in a downright foul mood. Unlike the summers of previous years, which she had spent outside with the Snape boy, this one she spent at home. From what Petunia gathered from her pitiful tirades at her ceiling and rants to their mother, it looked like they had an altercation at her school and their friendship was no more. Now Petunia never cared for their friendship, she loathed that boy and was very much glad that their friendship ended, but it also meant she had to endure Lily at home 24/7. So in a bid to avoid her being pitiful and their parents fawning over her, she spent most of the summer with her friends. It was full of parties for celebrating graduation and going away for college.

It was a in such a party where they were introduced by a friend of a friend of a friend. Both of them were a tad shy, insecure amongst their more outgoing friends and somewhat uncomfortable among the rowdy party-goers. So they usually took refuge in a corner to avoid getting dragged into the spotlight and wait for the party to end. After meeting at the first party, it took a couple more for them to be comfortable in sitting in silence together, but as the nights crept by they found themselves talking along about anything and everything. Soon they were planning to meet outside of parties.

That was a hard time in her life. She had been a bit lost, with no firm directions in sight. High school was over and there were lots of new decisions to make concerning what she wants in her life and what she would do next. At home tensions were all time high and she was miserable. In all her problems Vernon was the only positive thing at that time, someone who understands her and her views, someone to listen to her woes, someone to lend a shoulder to cry and a hand to support. He let her be in control and she let it be seen that he was the one in control to others. They were madly in love and perfect for each other.

Vernon was already a junior in college a little ways far when they had met. So in order to stay close to him, Petunia herself got admitted there and they started officially dating. Two years later, at 23, a recent college graduate Vernon had already secured a well-paying job at Grunnings' Company and soon after proposed his girlfriend of two years, Petunia. At 21, Petunia found her engaged to the best man possible. She was on cloud nine and planning her future as Mrs. Dursley as soon as the ring was on her finger. In winter 1978, after a three month long engagement, in a white wedding, she became Vernon's bride. In the next two years their life changed some but they were happy and together. Vernon worked hard and managed a promotion and she completed her education. Soon after, they bought a house and moved together in No.4 Privet Drive. In June, 1980, her son Dudley was welcomed happily in their little family-he was apple of both of their eyes. Petunia thought her life to be perfect and full of joy.

* * *

Despite whatever problems and favoritism they may have had, both her parents had been happy for her marriage and welcomed Vernon in the family readily. Her wedding was a happy occasion and suddenly all the tensions were forgotten in the face of upcoming celebrations. Even after her marriage, the tensions were somewhat absent. But that might because she kept in touch with them but only barely. Lily had also gotten engaged to a rich noble of her world, just few months after her wedding. Petunia of course was invited to the wedding but she was not a part of the actual ceremony. It had suited her just fine. She had attended the reception with her husband and congratulated her sister and her groom and that was that. That was also the last time the four Evans' were together in one place.

Six months later their parents lost their lives in a DUI. The sisters with their husbands attended the funeral, which mainly Petunia herself as the eldest had arranged. Their relationship was frosty at best but thankfully no scene was created at the service. After that they went their separate ways and that was the last time Petunia saw her sister alive. Now she had certainly thought that after mum and dad's death there won't be any communication between them other than the occasional letters( like the one they sent each other when their sons were born to inform the other) because both of them were happy and content in their own separate worlds with no interest in the others life. So she was very sure that the funeral will be last she saw of her sister or her family in a long time, if ever. What she didn't expected was a year and a half later, on the morning of November 2nd, finding her nephew on her footstep with a letter proclaiming her sister and brother-in-law dead-murdered, to be specific - and their 13 month old boy, the only survivor and now her responsibility as his only living relative.

Of course she took the boy in, but she wasn't quite sure how to handle him. Because she knew deep in her heart that this boy will leave her for sure as soon as he finds magic, just like his mother-at the latest, when he turns 17 in sixteen years, if not sooner. Why she would open her heart for him to break it, _just like his mother_, she wondered. But with no answers to her dilemma forthcoming, she kept acting indifferent and not bothering other than his meals and such three times a day. Vernon was flustered and at lost in what to do. He didn't like not having a semblance of control so to a get upper hand he put the boy in the cupboard under the stairs and directed many a rants at the child. She didn't stop him because it kept the boy out of her sight and Vernon happy. The boy slept through the first weeks and she was only thankful for him not being a fussy baby.

And then in one afternoon that tiny little child changed her world once more. Through sweet words and adorable demeanor he brought back memories of her past and demonstrated a startling likeness to both her father's demeanor and her sister's mannerisms. It could have ended devastating them both, for different reasons, if not for the fact that he only reminded her of a joyful past, of the happy uncomplicated days that she had wanted to cherish in her memories and share as well.

* * *

_But they aren't tiny anymore_, thought Petunia Dursley _née_ Evans as she observed her children running around in the amusement park.

Her boys are eight years old now, no longer tiny infants. Yes, her boys. She had brought them up and always regarded them as her boys in her head and to others outside of it. Even if only one was hers and the other always called her Aunt Petunia.

But Petunia knew that was not entirely true. Because even when she regards him as one of her boys, she knows in back of her mind that Harry isn't a son to her, not really, not even quite her nephew either. Harry had hammered straight through the wall she had tried to keep around her heart in those early days. She hadn't wanted to get attached to the green-eyed angel who will leave her someday. But he was so adorable and a tiny baby and her heart unconsciously decided that he was someone to protect and nurture alongside her son. And that is exactly what she did. Yet she was certain that it won't last once he gets in touch with his own people. Nevertheless she couldn't find it in her heart to cut ties prematurely. And Dudley absolutely loved Harry like his own brother. So there was a constant fear and dread in her mind that never left her, insinuating Dudley will be just as heartbroken and left alone, if not more, as she was when Lily left her for them.

One day that though, it changed. It was an absolutely ordinary day; one she shouldn't even remember it after all these years. But she did. Because his dazed emerald eyes of that day will forever be imprinted in her mind. Harry and Dudley came home from school that day with a bandage on Dudley's forehead and a funny story of how Piers tripped on air after he purposefully tripped Dudley and tried to take his favorite football. It was an ordinary tale. And Harry looked as triumphant over their victory on their bully as did Dudley. But his eyes were an altogether different matter. In those bright emeralds she could see how freaked out he was, which made her realize what the 'air' that Piers tripped on actually might be. But Harry never came to her for advice or a sympathetic ear. And she never enquired or offered-whether because she didn't want to get tangled in magic or because she knew her efforts would have been unwelcome-why she didn't know. As the only two in their household who knew about Magic and what it entails, there seemed to be an unspoken pact between aunt and nephew. He won't bother or mix her up in magic or Wizarding world and she won't interfere or exercise authority over him. It was an arrangement that both of them could live with.

However, after that day, Harry started to change. It was subtle and for all of its purposes looked like a natural process of growing up to everyone else. Only Petunia knew it to be the effect of that day- the result of Harry's accidental magic. And only because she consciously kept watch of him for the first few weeks after that incident waiting for the other shoe to drop. Over time she realized the other shoe won't be dropping in her life and she can just be family to her nephew without bothering about magic. Because she was very sure he didn't need or want her help.

It was nothing overt or visible, it was slow and subtle and very much not noticeable. It started within the family. At first he became a bit distant to them. He was as always happy to be spending time with the family but his mannerisms took a turn to be a bit formal. He started to invest more time in studies and gently turn down Dudley's invitations to play. He wasn't rude and was definitely still helping Dudley with studies and Petunia with her garden, but there was an invisible barrier between them despite his polite behavior. This behavior carried with others-teachers, students, neighbors as well. It was as if Petunia herself and everyone else subconsciously thought Harry as an equal and Harry's behavior with others children adults alike corroborated with that impression.

Slowly but surely over the next couple of years, Harry transformed from the slightly nerdy but happy-go-lucky kid to the polite, mature, intelligent young man. He reminded Petunia of heirs of nobility of days past. And one day, with a jolt Petunia remembered she had heard before Lily's wedding that Potter's were nobility in their world. So she never discouraged him because she knew he would need this as he grew up. Never mind that she wasn't certain if she even could deter him from anything he sets his mind to do. And with his changing personality, Harry became top of his grade at school and favorite of teachers and students alike (he always helped those who asked).With his polite but mature outlook on everything soon he became like an older cousin to Dudley, a friendly but distant family member. Add to that their different after-school activities, different group of friends (in case of Dudley, Harry never made close friends) and Harry skipping grades (his teachers insisted and Petunia happily agreed after Harry gave his consent)-Petunia thinks Dudley probably won't even miss Harry other than holidays and birthdays. It calmed her fear for her son, which in turn made her to be more objective to her nephew and with time they became sort of confidants between the gardening and cooking they did together (Harry insisted on helping).

Petunia sometimes wondered what made Harry change. Because why would accidental magic change his outlook? But some time later she overheard her boys talking about Harry's parents and it made her realize that Harry remembers their murder. She had already known that-Harry told her himself. But Harry was just a child back then and didn't linger on that topic much and she herself followed him in putting it in the back of her mind after that and never revisited. Petunia concluded after his accidental magic he probably thought more of it and realized not all of magic is good and nice, that having magic could be dangerous. Besides_ realizing he witnessed murder of his parents is a good reason as any to become mature_. After having a satisfying answer, she never bothered with Whys and Hows again and went with the flow of how Harry wanted things done.

* * *

"Mum! Come on. I'm hungry!" Dudley's sharp voice brought Petunia's wandering mind back to present. It was Dudley's birthday and she was supervising a picnic at the amusement park with five of his close friends and his cousin as a celebration. His father had promised to accompany him in a camping trip organized by the local sports club for their members with family next weekend to avoid a trip to the packed amusement park with seven eight-year olds.

As she started to arrange the food-sandwiches and can's of coke and juice- she watched Harry's twitching lips and the aborted eye roll at Dudley's whining.

"What? I'm a growing boy. I need food." From her son's steadfast defense for his hunger, she can tell that he had seen that too. If it was anyone else she would have intervened to stop the fight that was sure to ensue. But she knows Harry won't answer any more. And because of that Dudley will at least try to watch his manners while eating and not wolf down as soon as he gets the sandwiches in hand. Their relationship is like of two siblings or cousins with much bigger age gap where the older teases the younger but not quite getting down to the others level. It would look odd because their age gap is _only a month_ and even then it's Dudley who is older. But it's a common enough scene that none of Dudley's friends or Petunia bats an eyelash. Despite their seemingly different worlds and personalities, Petunia knows they care for each other and outings on birthdays are never missed even if Harry dosen't likes crowded parks and zoos or Dudley can't stand museums and libraries. They bear it once a year for the other's sake and that is all that Petunia can ask from them.

* * *

"So I was thinking" Harry started to say and as it is a common enough phrase from him when they both are gardening or cooking a recipe that Petunia only replied in an "Mmn Hmn". It was Saturday morning, around 10 and both of them had started to work on the garden to do some serious renovation. Dudley and Vernon are on that promised camping trip and Aunt and nephew have ample time on their hands without any disturbances.

"I will get my Hogwarts letter when I turn eleven, right? But do you think I could get touch in the Wizarding world a year or two earlier? To accumulate myself fully and catch up whatever I need to learn and missed in these years."

Petunia's hands stopped involuntarily as soon as she heard Hogwarts and only after Harry finished stating his whole thought did she looked up to his face. He had also stopped weeding like her and was eyeing her with the question obvious in his face. She took a long breath to calm herself so that she can answer objectively. She was _not_ expecting this subject to crop up for another three years.

"I won't be able to go with you. Nor am I comfortable neither will be my opinion matter there. You know that, right? Will you be able to do it alone without a guardian? Besides what are you going to do about your celebrity status?" Petunia asked about the most pressing concerns. She didn't try to dissuade him from going; she knows it won't bore any fruit.

"_What celebrity status_?" Harry asked with a frown. She knows that he only frowns when he dosen't know something or can't figure out the puzzle in front of him. It made her realize that she never shared the letter she found with him that fateful day. After the first day she didn't even think about it. But Harry needs to know about it to plan accordingly. Petunia has never seen another child more organized than her nephew.

"Wait here a second!" she told him, already standing up after cleaning her hands with the towel and taking long strides inside the house and towards her bedroom. It only took a couple minutes to get back with the letter and she then promptly handed it over to Harry. He had also cleaned his hands and took a couple steps towards the house in the time it took for her to bring out the letter.

Petunia kept her eyes on his face and clearly saw the surprise and anger on his face as he read the letter. Finishing it, he looked up at her. "Did the person who gave you this letter said _anything else_?" His voice was flat and Petunia could see the temper slowly brewing in his eyes very much like she had seen in her father, his grandfather. And in accordance to her ingrained habit of lifetime of answering anything and everything asked when those stormy emerald eyes pinned her, she opened her mouth to answer it.

"There was no person. On the morning of November 2nd, when I came to collect milk and newspaper, I found _you_ on the doorstep bundled in a blanket with that letter tucked in and _nothing else_." And seriously now that she actually listened herself saying it out loud, she could see why Harry would get mad. They just left him on her doorstep with only a letter and nothing else, no means to contact for help or anything was given to her. They just told her that her sister and her husband died and her nephew is a hero and they will send for him when he turns eleven and that's it. What was she supposed to tell him if he had asked anything about her family or had trouble with magic? It's idiotic at best and neglectful at worst. It seems like they just want their hero when they can use him but not before then and definitely not for caring about him. It's preposterous.

For the first time in a long time (last time was the day of 'The incident') Petunia saw Harry react visibly disturbed. But this time he was downright enraged. But her nephew had never lost temper before that day and as she expected, _in front her eyes_, he took deep lung-full of breaths and calmed himself down.

"I think I need to make some plans about it. But I still want to enter Wizarding world on _my terms_ and long before they expect me." Petunia thought it a reasonable plan and nodded. "I need to find out about my family and if and any assets I have to my name."

It seemed he was thinking out loud and Petunia usually wouldn't have disturbed him, but she knew how to do _that_.

"You should go to _Diagon alley_, I can take you to it's entrance in London. I remember there's a bank there. Gring-something. You can probably state your enquiries there."

"Thank you for your suggestion, aunt Petunia. I shall do that. What do you think of doing it on the weekend after my birthday?"

Petunia nodded her assent on the date and told her the two of them can go then. But that sparked another thought in her mind. What about _Dudley_? _What do they tell him_? She voiced them aloud to Harry.

"We could both never tell him about magic, if you so prefer or just sit him down one day and explain it. It's your decision."

"Vernon's. The decision should be Vernon's." Petunia disagreed.

"No, it's yours. Because it is in _your blood_ that the potential of magic flows and someday it might reveal itself in any of Dudley's descendents. If he should know about it before hand or not is something you need to decide." Harry explained to her.

Petunia told him she will think on it and tell him.

* * *

It took Petunia three weeks to debate if she wants her son to know about magic. In the end she concluded knowing won't harm her son and it will be better than lying to him about Harry's absence. Better yet, if any of her grandchildren or great-children turned out to be magical, she didn't want them to be spoiled like her sister or hated like that Snape kid. It's better to know and be prepared.

So on the Saturday after Harry's birthday, Petunia took Harry with her to charring cross road. On the way she told him of his decision and they mutually agreed to sit and decide when and where to tell Dudley. In front of the rundown pub, Leaky Cauldron, they separated. Petunia went to run her own errands for the day. But she gave him enough money to get home alone when finished with _his errands_.

So she wasn't there to notice the flash of triumph that only stayed for a second in his eyes before he masked them, when he opened the door of pub and vanished from mundane London to it's magical counterpart.

* * *

**Read and review, if you please!**


	5. Chapter Four

**Summary:** Harry's life didn't go as he wanted but he was alive. And then he died. Again. But this time he learned what it really means to be the Master of Death.

**Pairings:** Not yet decided.

**Disclaimer:** This is fanfiction. The actual fiction of Harry Potter is J. Ro.'s work. I'm merely a fan paying a tribute. So in other words, don't sue me. On other note, the plot will have some similarities with other writers as I was a reader long before I started to write, but I didn't cheat. If you can name whose idea it was, I'll give due credit here.

**Warnings:** Adult languages, some bashing, slash.

**Updated:** 27/09/13

* * *

"_That's all in the past _

_this world's waited long enough _

_I've come home at last_

_And this time will be bigger and brighter than we knew it_

_So watch me fly, we all know I can do it"_

_-As if We Never Said Goodbye from Sunset Boulevard_

* * *

**Chapter Four:**

Harry's entrance in Diagon alley for the first time in _this_ world went mostly unnoticed. It was definitely what he had hoped for, but he had thought, at the least he would have to ask Tom, the barman or any other passerby to open the passage for him. But as luck would have it, a large group of people (from what he deduced, half-bloods and first-gen students of Hogwarts who met together with their parents for school shopping) came from the mundane side just behind him and it was fairly easy for him to blend with them with his own mundane attire and sneak into Diagon Alley.

Harry quietly distanced himself from the group once they were _in_ Diagon alley and slipped in to a shadowy corner of a nearby shop. Now these last few years Harry hadn't done any active magic to avoid attention of authorities (like Ministry and Dumbles) on his home life and person. He did some passive ones like using _notice-me-not_ charm to slip pass crowds when visiting libraries alone to avoid questions or harmless pranks to discourage budding bullies. Those were the types where there were no obvious signs of use of magic to attract attention. He is confident that even if anyone found out about those, it could be easily explained away as accidental wish magic. So for the first time in years, today he did an intentional piece of magic and changed his mundane jacket to a plain green cloak to blend in and joined the crowd in the street. But of course his underage magic won't register in such an obviously magical place.

As Harry started towards Gringotts, his mind drifted towards the memory of his first visit to Diagon as a wide-eyed boy alongside Hagrid. Harry was naïve back then, eager to leave behind the hard life with Dursleys and learn of his origins, thinking he would have his fairytale ending. But it had turned into a nightmare soon enough and never really changed. It was his innocence that cost him his freedom.

But this time around he isn't giving up even an ounce of control, this time he is going to carve his own path. And that is why his first destination, actually, today's main destination is Gringotts. Because the bank is where his gold is as well as there he can have confirmation of his current status as Heir to The Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. As someone determined to be in control he knows having power in his hands is important. Financial, political and social. As he can't be seen before the summer of 1991, the social aspect has to wait but he has forever been cultivating his image for it to be favorable. And while being boy-who-lived does give him political capitol, it isn't much. But as Heir Potter (and later Lord Potter) he will have both political and financial power of a higher degree. And he _will need_ it.

* * *

The thing that is important Harry needs besides power is knowledge. It is one of the reasons that he didn't ventured in Wizarding world in last seven years. All the differences that happened in these years have been contained in Surrey and mundane world. As such the Wizarding world hadn't been affected by his time jump and remained the same as his last world. And Harry hopes it would give him a certain edge to get one over Dumbledore that he hopes to do today.

Because as long as Dumbles assumes the role of his guardian in absence of his godfather (due to his incarceration) and aunt (not magical), Harry can never be in his own control, outside of _his _influence. But to successfully avoid being under his thumbs, he needs to take the mantle of Lord Potter-magically and legally. Now due to internal Potter family Magics (the passing of the Cloak) Harry is already the magical Head of the House Potter. Once it's made legal Dumbles will not have any say in his life (well, while he can't _make_ Harry do anything, knowing Dumbles it won't actually stop him from trying).

Pureblood laws suggest that the Lord of the House can elect to choose anyone of his blood as his Heir-starting from the day of his birth with no limit to his age. The chosen Heir will then wear the Heir ring till he assumes the mantle of the lord at the previous lord's death, or if he steps down anytime after the Heir turns seventeen. In the case of the previous Lord's death _before_ the Heir turns seventeen, a member of his family presides over as the regent until the Heir can take his place. In these cases the regents can try to indoctrinate the Heirs to their own views but their family Magics prevents them from outright betrayal of their family and harm towards their Lord. But when there is only one living member of any family left, laws dictate that the Heir can take the mantle as early as at fifteen as an adult. There is also a clause in those laws stating that the Heir can also take his seat at eleven as an emancipated minor if he so chooses. But in that case he needs an adult as a regent to his family who will be oath-bound to the lord and will act as his mouthpiece at wizengamot and various other responsibilities. In general, the regent will only be his advisor and cannot govern on any family matters (it was a precaution against betrayals), like a guardian.

So Harry will take his Heir ring today and open his parents will (which he has authority to do as the Heir in absence of the Lord) to see exactly what they had wanted. Last time around someone had that will destroyed after 15 years on grounds of not being needed anymore(it was Dumbles tying loose ends and as his primary guardian after Sirius's death he could), so it will be new experience for him too. Harry will definitely take upon his Lordship after eleven and in the interim three years he will try to find a suitable regent based on his parents suggestion and his own previous experiences on who won't be in Dumbles's pocket and will be beneficial to him.

* * *

Upon entering the bank, Harry made a straight-line towards one of the free goblin tellers.

"Excuse me, would you show me the way to inheritance and wills office, please?" Harry was curt in his questions as he had learned human pleasantries mean nothing to Goblins.

The goblin in question gave him an once-over and deeming him okay pointed towards a plaque in the left-corner back which said "Lasts Wills and Inheritances". Acknowledging the goblins help Harry gave him a nod of thanks and went his way.

Harry knocked on the door and entered when asked to do so. The goblin inside looked a bit aged compared to the tellers outside and from what Harry could discern, he was fairly bored to.

He was asked to take seat. "What can Gringotts Last wills and Inheritance office do for you today, Mr.-?"

"Potter, Hadrian Potter. I'm here to see about my Inheritance and the last wills of my parents."

Harry could see the interest in the goblins eyes at his name, but he dosen't know if it is because his celebrity status or because the possible profit Gringotts will have from once again active Potter vaults.

The procedure of acclaiming his inheritance is something Harry had already done once so it was fairly straightforward to him. The goblin, Bloodmoon, brought a goblin made device-a stone plate carved with runes-in front of him and handed him a small, sharp knife.

"Please press your finger after cutting it and smear some blood on the large rune in the middle, Mr. Potter."

Harry did as told and waited for the cut to heal as the knife was charmed. The stone plate glowed with magic as his blood and magic in the rune _accio_ed everything pertaining to the inheritance of one Hadrian James Amaranth Potter to it. When the glow died down there were papers and a ring box. It was a different one from last time, smaller-the Heir ring as opposed to the Lord's ring he got at 21.

Blood moon picked up the uppermost sheet of parchment, "Hadrian James Amaranth potter, Heir Primus to The Ancient and Most Noble house of Potter. Here is your Heir ring."

Harry took the offered box and picked the ring from within. It was garnet in a gold band with the Potter Crest depicted in its surface. He simply put it on his left ring finger and observed as the family Magics settled in his mind and the ring fit him snugly.

When he looked up, he found Bloodmoon watching him. The said goblin slid a parchment and a bloodquill towards him, "Please sign it with your full name to confirm the legality of your claim as Heir Potter."

When Harry finished that Bloodmoon took back the parchment and gave him familiar looking leather bound journal. "This is one part of a pair of two way journals we at Gringotts keep for maintaining Potter finances and estates. Traditionally, one set remains here with the Potter accounts manager and the other with Lord Potter. Since you are the only Potter left, we here encourage you to start investing yourself in your finances if you want to."

Harry simply nodded.

"The last order of business is the Last wills of Former Heir Potter and his wife." Here Bloodmoon simply put two sealed envelopes in front of him. "These are your private copies. Now there needs to be a public will reading to distribute the bequests to other parties. When will it be favorable for you?"

That is something Harry hadn't thought about, but he certainly can't do it in the next three years.

"What is the deadline for it, if I may ask?"

"You can arrange for it as the Heir to your family, but you aren't legally obliged to do it till you become the Lord of your House. Unless, of course your legal guardian arranges it."

"Then I won't be arranging it before my eleventh birthday."

"I presume then you don't need us to send the notification of confirmation of your claiming of your legacy to the ministry."

Harry gave another nod to affirm the clever goblin's statement and collected the wills and other assorted legal documents in his name. He would study them later at home. Harry stood up and gave a curt nod as he concluded his business for the day and confirmed he will be getting monthly bank statements of his vaults from then onwards.

It was just a matter of chance that a name caught his notice from one of the parchments when he was putting them in his backpack. It reminded Harry of something important and he turned around to ask a couple more questions.

"What is the policy of carrying out wills of prisoners in Azkaban and convicted inmates?"

If Bloodmoon had any problem with his convoluted question, he didn't show.

"Prisoners of Azkaban can't legally hold Gringotts vault so we freeze their accounts and execute the last composed Will as final if their stay there is more than 3 years."

At that Harry brought out the envelope which had caught his interest and opened it. It was the Last will of Sirius Orion Black, his godfather.

* * *

In his last life he was Lord Black as well. It was a long-winded process. To become an Heir one needs to have both magical and blood relations to the predecessor. That is why sons are generally made Heirs. But in cases of grandsons only sons of sons are eligible, not sons of daughters. Because when the Wizarding marriage bonds settles it makes the bride magically a part of the groom's family and as such their children will only have the magical connection to their fathers family not their mother's, despite having blood of both. It prevents ambitious Lords from taking over their in-laws family through their grandchildren. Because of this James potter despite having Black blood through his mother Dorea Potter née Black was never a contender for Black family Lordship. After the death of Lord Arcturus Black in 1991 the Lordship automatically went to Sirius as the only male Black left (he was disowned by his mother, but his father who was also a Black never did). As Sirius was in prison it remained unclaimed and later the family lined would have died with him as he died child less. But Sirius had taken his duties as a godfather seriously and cemented the bond with the right ritual which made Harry his direct Heir if he died childless. Now generally it meant all of his earthly possessions. But Harry was also Black by blood and now he had a magical connection with his godfather, the previous Black Lord, even if he never claimed it. So Sirius passed down his Lordship to Harry as well.

Harry had learned about this when he was studying laws during his auror years and rightly knew that because his children had Black blood from both him and Ginerva they can take the title from him. But he wasn't happy with his boys, who were too much of Weasleys than Potter and didn't want his daughter to have both tittles as it might have resulted in a merge of the families. Because Andromeda was disowned, Teddy didn't have the magical connection. And when Harry had wanted to do the ritual like Sirius did, Andromeda refused on principal as it was a pureblood tradition. Teddy was 7-8 by that time and already being brought up as a good little puppet of light under his grandmother and Weasleys, to remove any taint he might have from his werewolf father. So Harry disgusted at them, hadn't fought with her decision. But when Teddy had little Sirius he had decided to take an active role in his upbringing and had thought, after he turns thirteen he would talk with him about magically adopting him and making him the Black Heir.

But that was then when aside from him the only Blacks were Andromeda and Narcissa (and only by blood). Both of them were married then and had neither right nor intention to involve themselves in Black family matters. So like the Potters, he was all on his own to decide and act on matters concerning the Blacks. There was also the fact that he was an adult at that time.

This time around the circumstances are vastly different. Because from what he remembers, in the current point of time, there were many other Blacks left. Despite that he _still_ is Sirius's Heir and the only one eligible to take the mantle of Heir Black. But now there is a Lord Black present and other two Blacks alive, three if you count Sirius who is in prison. There is also four married Black daughters who while isn't part of family proper anymore can still make problems for Harry (well two of them can, and of the other two-one is disowned and other in prison).

He needs to make decisions, to consider if he wants to take the Heir ring and risk losing anonymity this early in game, because there is no way to remain totally invisible from the Blacks once he is Heir to their family.

The core of the matter is Harry wants to be the Heir to Black family, not only because it's more power to him, but also because it has been a part of him for a long time and he simply can't make himself refuse it outright when he has a chance to have it once again. Now customs suggest that he talk to the present lord before taking the Heir ring if he wasn't given it directly. But rationality makes him take in account the reality of his situation from all fronts.

Because if he alerts Arcturus Black of his status and he disapproves, Lord Black can make someone else of Black blood (like Draco Malfoy) the Heir through Magical adoption. It will totally disrupt his plans. If he simply claims the Heir ring before informing the Blacks, they can't do much to him because his position will be absolute till death and they can't actively oppose due to Family Magics. But if they really don't want him as the family Heir, they can make many more problems for him that he dosen't need.

Now from what he knows, Cassiopeia Black is a scholar and has no interest in politics. And as much as he can tell without actually meeting her, he can state she won't make a ruckus, definitely not a public one. That leaves Arcturus and Pollux. They both seemed like people who would disapprove of him. It's a matter of learning why and how to overcome it. From what he understood from journals and portraits from his previous reign as the Black Lord, Pollux Black very much lived on through his daughter Walburga and grand-daughter Bellatrix. And knowing how much fanatics they both were, very much certain of the supremacy of their 'Pureblood', Harry could for sure ascertain that Pollux himself will never accept a Half-blood as the next lord of the Blacks. To be more precise, he would rather have the name of the Blacks obliterated rather than it be named in history that there was a Half-blood Black Lord.

The current Lord Black, Arcturus on the other hand seemed a reasonable man from the little the man spoke to him from his portraits at Black Manor (not Grimmauld, which was a town house) and his journals that he had found. If Harry wants this plan of his to work, he needs Arcturus on his side. Having his predecessor approve of him will not only make others wary of opposing his inheritance, but it will also make dealing with people like Pollux, who will _certainly_ oppose him easier. While Arcturus was decidedly pro-nobility and thought Blacks were superior, he wasn't a fanatic. His primary concern was always his family name and its' prosperity. If Harry could prove himself to be a competent person who wants the best for the House of Black, Arcturus may actually approve of him.

* * *

His godfather, Sirius's will was very straight forward. He hadn't been Heir Primus Black back then nor did he want to be. So he simply left everything he owned (which wasn't much back then) to his magical Heir and Godson Hadrian Potter.

Harry, after reading it twice, simply showed the parchment to Bloodmoon.

"What should I be doing with it?" He asked.

This time Bloodmoon was visibly surprised. After reading the Will carefully he looked straight at Harry, "Your godfather made you his magical heir and as such you now own everything he owns now." Here he paused, then continued, "From your earlier question, I take it you know that he currently resides in Azkaban? And for what crime?"

At Harry's nod, "Would you then like to take claim of your bequests from him?"

"Yes, I would."

Bloodmoon simply called for the Goblin who manages Black account as it is an active account as such needs authorization of the account manager.

Sharpclaw, who had remained Black accounts manager even in his time, was as efficient as ever. Upon his entering in the office, Bloodmoon showed him Sirius's will. Sharpclaw read it and turned to Harry, "You wish to claim them?"

"Yes, I want to claim the bequests my Godfather left for me."

Sharpclaw nodded and beckoned him to follow. Harry followed him to another familiar office in the next hallway. Sharpclaw took his own sit and told him to do the same. He put some documents for him to sign for some legality, which Harry signed after reading them.

"Now your godfather as the first grandson of the current Lord Black was a contender for Heir Black position. But his incarceration makes him unsuitable for the title at present. Your position as his magical heir would not make you any part of internal Black family matters, usually, but as your paternal grandmother was Dorea Potter née Black, you fit the criteria of becoming next Heir Primus Black, simply for lack of eligible Blacks for this position."

Sharpclaw here took a pause and looked with narrowed eyes at Harry, "Do you want to be Heir Primus Black as well, Heir Potter?"

Harry took some time to organize his reply as this part he hadn't prepared for today. It also looked to Sharpclaw as he was debating on a path of action which endeared him to the goblin for not rushing in recklessly.

"To become Heir Black, don't I need approval of Lord Black as well?"

"Generally, yes, you would need approval of Lord Black where he presents you the ring declaring you as his heir. But because he hadn't done this in last 7 years, still deciding I believe, and the fact that other than Pollux Black from the branch family, you are the only available candidate, you can simply try on the ring to see if it approves of you. If it does, then chances are so will Lord Black and no one will oppose your title."

"Yes, I would like to do that." Harry said decisively and then asked something else on his mind, "How soon will Lord Black know of this development?"

Sharpclaw simply continued to bring the ring box out from a hidden compartment of his desk and put it in front of him. "If Lord Black was in tune with family Magics, he will know an heir has been accepted as soon as it happens. As his account manager I will be sending him a confirmation letter as well."

Harry took the ring out from the box, it was black diamond with the family crest in a white gold band, "Would it be possible for you ask him to come here and meet me? And how soon can that happen? I would like to meet him."

And Harry repeated the process he had done only hours earlier and this time became Heir Primus Black.

* * *

Half an hour later, Hadrian Potter was having lunch in a quaint little café in Vertic Alley and planning to spend the next hour and a half in the library next door before he is to be back at Gringotts.

At the same time a superfast Gringotts eagle owl was flying towards Black manor with Sharpclaw's missive where Lord Black was already up in a tizzy about the magical whiplash he experienced 40 minutes earlier which now tells him that there is now a recognized and accepted Black Heir.

* * *

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